Dr. James W. Paterson

Dr. James Wallace Paterson, 83, of Vineland passed away Friday, September 15, 2017 at The Willows Assisted Living of Holmdel.   

Jim, as he was known to friends and colleagues, was born in Westerly, Rhode Island and received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Rhode Island.  After Jim’s years of service, he went on to earn his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Agronomy from Penn State University.

Jim proudly served his country during the Korean War in the United States Air Force.  He handled communications via Morse code while he was stationed in Japan for two of the four years he served.

Upon earning his PhD in Agronomy, Jim became a researcher with a focus on Soil and Crops and in 1967, he joined Rutgers Research and Development Center in Bridgeton, New Jersey as a Soil and Crops Specialist.  In 1972, Jim was appointed Director of the facility and became a pioneer in national research leading to guidelines established in drip/trickle irrigation systems.  His research resulted in more abundant and higher quality vegetables through more efficient and environmentally sound agricultural practices.   During his tenure at Rutgers, he traveled throughout the United States and internationally and gave lectures as an expert in the field of agriculture.  Jim retired from Rutgers in 1994.

More importantly, Jim was a loving father and husband. He exhibited true dedication to his wife, Carol, and after retirement, they spent nearly every waking moment together, until her passing in 2015.

Other than family, Jim enjoyed tending to his plants, his yard, and other home projects.  Jim was also an avid fan of the New York Giants football team.

Jim was predeceased by his parents Alexander Paterson and Meredith (Hazzard) Paterson and his beloved wife Carol Valentine (Van Blois) Paterson.

He is survived by his loving children Lara Calo and her husband Christopher of Matawan; Kyle Paterson of Burlington Township; and Mark Paterson and his wife Kelly of Middletown, Delaware.

He also leaves behind six cherished grandchildren Alexander, Ryan and Adam Calo, Benjamin and Cassandra Paterson, and Emily Paterson.

Jim also leaves behind siblings Meredith (Tim) DeQuattro, Alexander (Skip) Paterson, and Alden (Aldy) Paterson.

At the request of the family, Jim will be privately cremated and his family will hold their own memorial services.

To offer Jim's family your online condolences, please visit us at our website at www.dayfuneralhome.com .